


Day Two Hundred Thirty-Eight || Rocks

by 365daysofsasuhina



Series: 365 Days of SasuHina 2019 [238]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-27
Updated: 2019-08-27
Packaged: 2020-09-27 18:11:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20412124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/365daysofsasuhina/pseuds/365daysofsasuhina
Summary: Every kid has that weird thing they collect. For Sasuke...it's rocks. But hey, they help him make a friend, so it can't be THAT bad, right?





	Day Two Hundred Thirty-Eight || Rocks

When Sasuke was very young, he enjoyed collecting rocks. At first, it was any kind of rock. It might catch his eye due to its shape, its color, how it caught the light...or just because it looked neat. Childhood wonder meant he wasn’t overly picky in his early days, picking up whatever stone happened to catch his fancy and stuffing it into his pocket.

Before long, he had quite the collection. He kept them, at first, in a little box his mother had made to throw away before he snagged it out of the garbage. But it was a bit small, and his treasures soon outgrew them. His mother then gave him an old tupperware container with a snapping lid, but even that was eventually not enough. When Mikoto gave him a plastic tote, she was sure that would be the end of it. As cute as she found the hobby, she could only indulge him so much.

With his space officially limited, Sasuke took to - every so often - sorting through his hoard and putting away what no longer sparked his interest into the big bed of rocks in the backyard where water would cascade off the roof when it rained. That way they were still near, but no longer taking up his special space.

Itachi would often help him, finding interesting stones here and there during his time in junior high. Sasuke too scoured the playground at school, the gravel by the bus stop...anywhere he could to spy something new and interesting to add to his collection.

And eventually, his little hobby was noticed by someone else.

“W...what are you doing…?”

Crouched at the edge of the gravel that filled the swingset grounds of the play area, Sasuke glances up at the inquisitive voice. “Huh?”

Mimicking his posture, a girl from his class rests hands on her knees. “Are you - a-are you looking for something?”

“Yeah!”

“Did, um...did you drop something i-in the rocks?”

“Oh, nuh-uh. M’looking for cool ones!”

“...cool ones?”

“Cool rocks! See?” Uncurling a hand, he shows the little collection he’s already gathered: a white rock peppered with black spots, a grey one with smoothed edges, and a green one with a hole in it. “Aren’t they cool?”

She tilts her head, examining them politely. “You found those...i-in there?”

“Uh huh! There’s lotsa cool ones if you look. Here…” Rooting around, he nibbles his lip in concentration. “...like this one!” Up he pulls a little stone. It’s really not anything out of the ordinary save for its vaguely purple color. “It looks like your coat!”

The girl perks up, cupping her hands as he makes to hand it to her. As noted, it’s almost the same shade as her jacket. “Whoa…!”

“I’ve got lots at home - I keep ‘em in a bin in my room! My brother finds some for me sometimes. He says some you can skip across water! I wanna try it next time we go to the lake. He’s gonna teach me!”

“Across the water…?”

“Yeah! He got one to bounce ten times once - my big brother can do anything!”

Blinking, she then gives a soft laugh. “I’d l-like to see that! I thought rocks just...sink?”

“Not when my big brother throws ‘em! He says you gotta find a good flat one, and you throw it just right. I tried once but it’s kinda hard to do…”

“I-I’m sure you’ll get it someday! Maybe you just need to...to practice!”

Grinning, Sasuke nods. “...your name’s Hinata, right?”

“Mhm.”

“I’m Sasuke! Wanna look for more rocks with me?”

“S-sure!”

Together, the little pair pass the rest of their recess in the bed of stones, carefully picking at ones that catch their eyes. While Sasuke’s are all unique and maybe strange, Hinata gravitates toward simple ones: round and smooth with solid, soft colors.

“Those are really pretty,” Sasuke praises as the bell tolls to return to class.

“Should I...keep them?”

“If you want to! Maybe you can make a collection, huh?”

“Maybe...my dad doesn’t like m-messes, though.”

“Can you put ‘em in a box?”

“I don’t have one…”

Sasuke’s lips purse in a thoughtful pout. “...here, give ‘em to me. I’ll find ya a box and bring it tomorrow, ‘kay?”

“You...you will?”

“Yeah! Maybe you can come to my house, and we can trade! I have lots!”

Something brightens in the girl. “O...okay!”

With that, Sasuke puts his rocks in one pocket, and Hinata’s in another as they run to make it back to class. A small spring finds its way into Sasuke’s step. He’s never had a friend with rocks before…! Already he thinks of getting to show her all the ones he likes best, and some he might be persuaded to give her. He’ll get her a good collection in no time!

Of course...by now...such memories have all but faded.

“Hey Mom, do you know where my old CD collection is?”

Looking to her son from the plant she’s pruning, Mikoto pauses, thinking. “Well...I suppose it’s probably in the old garage. Most of your old stuff should still be out there, dear. Need help looking?”

“Nah, that’s all right. I can do it. Thanks.”

“Going old school?” she can’t help but tease. “I think I still have a radio that plays discs somewhere…”

That earns a laugh. “That’s okay. The library’s looking for some donations of CDs. Thought I’d chip in mine since I don’t use ‘em anymore.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful! Maybe I can give them some old records I have…”

“Not sure they’re looking to go _that_ far back.”

Mikoto gives him a look. “Hey now, I’m not that old!”

“Didn’t say you were, Mom,” he assures her with a wave, heading out. After their expansive remodel, the old detached garage is more like a storage shed with the new one under his old room. Who knows what other relics of his childhood are out here…

Opening up the creaking door, he coughs a bit at the dusty air. Waving it away, he squints and sighs at the rows and rows of boxes. He’ll be out here all day at this rate…

Still, his mother is a stickler for organization, so it’s not long before he finds the section devoted to his old belongings. Name plastered over several boxes and totes, he picks one at random to start sifting through. But rather than CDs, he finds toys. Quite a few of them: action figures, plushies, Hot Wheels cars…

Wait a minute. Perking slightly, he takes out a faded green dinosaur. “...mister Roary?” he mutters, batting off some dust. Jeez, he used to sleep with this thing...where he went, it went with him.

After a moment’s debate, he sticks the plush under an arm, resealing the box and opening another.

Twenty minutes pass with little luck. Pulling a small tote from a high shelf, he swears at the weight. Good grief, this thing is heavy! What did he put in here, rocks?

Resting it atop the old workbench with a grunt, he pries open the lid and finds...well, just that. Man...he totally forgot about these. He was such a weird kid, pocketing away any rock he could find. Most in here aren’t even anything special. Among them are minerals and crystals his mother bought for him now and again. A small sample of amethyst, some quartz, a sphere of sandstone...and there in a corner is a small box. Maybe some of his favorites…?

Taking it out, he untapes the lip and lifts the lid, brow furrowing slightly. That’s weird...they’re all just normal rocks. Sorting through, he finds nothing of note. What were…?

Putting the lid back down, he then notices faded marker along the top. Brushing at more dust and squinting, he tries to make out a name…

“Sasuke?”

“Huh?”

“Oh, wow...it’s dusty in here.” Behind him, another figure enters. “Did you find them?”

“No, not yet...I was just…”

And then it hits him.

Brightening, he spins around. “Hey, look!”

“Huh?”

“Remember this?”

Blinking, his companion stares for a moment at the little keepsake box. “I…?” Accepting it as he hands it over, there’s a long pause. “...wait…”

“Ringing a bell?”

“You still _have_ these…?”

“Yeah! And all my old collection! I dunno why Dad kept them, it’s literally just rocks…”

Lifting the lid, pale eyes widen. “...oh my gosh…” Carefully, Hinata plucks a soft purple stone from the box. “...I _do_ remember these…”

Sasuke can’t help a grin. “That was the day we actually became friends. And look at us now.”

Hinata gives a soft laugh. “Yeah...funny, isn’t it? It’s too bad you didn’t stick with it, hm? Maybe you could been a geologist or something.”

“Sadly, I’m not as excited by a bunch of rocks as I used to be,” he admits. “I’ll have to go through these another time, though. Some are actually kinda neat.”

A knowing smile pulls at her lips. “I’d like that.”

“Want me to put that back?”

...she hesitates. “...actually, can I...keep it?”

“Of course. It’s yours. I was just hanging onto it for you. For a lot longer than I intended.”

There’s another soft laugh. “Thanks.”

“Now...I need to find those CDs. Wanna help me look?”

“It’s why I came in.” For the moment, she sets the box atop the workbench, helping fetch another to find their treasure.

Well..._another_ treasure.

“Wait...is that a dinosaur plushie?”

“Hey, I liked dinosaurs too.”

**Author's Note:**

> This...is one of the most random prompts thus far, but hey! I made my daily goal word count and then some, so at least there's that xD
> 
> And it actually turned out pretty cute! Smol SasuHina is always fun to write. Add in a flash forward to them older, and that's a win in my book lol
> 
> Anyway, I'ma be busy tomorrow, so I best call it a night! Thanks for reading~


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